Like reading my two week diary

 

I have over the past two weeks experienced a whole new variety of life that I didn’t think possible even though the Bible mentioned it as being realized by a healthy church with healthy members.  But I hadn’t seen it like this.  Not like this.  I have been lavished with blessings of every kind tangible and intangible, and I can hardly comprehend how it’s all happened.  Allow me to give you a run down of the past few days and what they entailed.  Be warned, it is LOOOONG:

 

Wednesday, March 11th — Arrival in Budapest, Hungary at 3:45am

-Bus rolls in the station blowing emissions into the bitter cold air.  It rolls out with the station closed until 4:30am.  Once the hour hit to open finally, we packed our sleeping bags away and entered the bus station fairly unscathed.  I think I hear English and ask a man in the most cordial of manners, ‘Sir, do you speak English?’  You would have thought I defecated right there on the bench by the way he looked at me.  ‘Surely’, I thought, ‘this is going to be a long two weeks’.  On top of that, Hungarian is one of the hardest languages to learn on the planet; the Finnish, German, Turkish, etc. language mix offers no recognizable loan words.  Eventually Shanda and I make our way by metro and tram, carrying our ‘small children’ on our backs, to the hostel a few hours early.  We hope and desperately email potential contacts.  One in particular that her parents knew back in their Germany years we were wishing to hear back from.

 

-I was just in Romania two days prior and now I sat in a class seat in the Spanish gallery of Budapest’s Art Museum listening to topic of how art accentuates Biblical themes by our contact (Shanda’s parents’ aquaintence) who taught the class.  Shortly after she treated us to lunch, talked ministry, and tried to figure out lodging.  But it was strange how normal it felt not having plans outside the next few hours of our day.  And so began the flow of blessings and the reshaping of my mind and my heart.

 

Friday, March 13th — YWAM Coffee House

-Still being unsure at 8:00am as to where we were going after our 10am checkout time made our thoughts swim a bit.  8:45am we heard back.  ‘Meet a Hungarian named Micos on Teres Utca, he may be driving a burgundy vehicle’.  Again, it wasn’t odd riding in a taxi driven by some guy named Micos we just met 30 seconds ago and then trusting he’s taking to the right place.  We arrive safely and are once again in someone’s home (Shanda’s contact) that I’ve only met once.  Conversation is fluid and after a bit I cook soup and bake brownies in our their kitchen.  “Welcome, our home is your home” — love it.  They were kind enough to allow us wash AND DRY our twice worn underoos and all our filthy clothes — that kind of thing is really exciting for me these days.  Late afternoon arrived our ride to go to YWAM’s coffee house ministry downtown Budapest.  It was on the ride over and at the coffee house that we met some amazing men and women of Christ who wanted to know how they could help us.  In fact, we didn’t have to ask them.  A young teacher gave us a love offering in cash after hearing our budget.  Then we were invited over for late-night pancakes which turned out to actually be crepes!  So friends were made immediately, and one even offered to stay at their sister’s while we stay at their flat for free.  “What, for real?!”  We didn’t realize that here in Hungary people actually asked what they meant and didn’t expect a decline from an offer unless the other person really didn’t need it.   

 

Saturday, March 14th — Tourists but not really

-We took a trip to the local Christian school where we attended praise and worship practice, then we did a tour around the city with our new friend Andras and had a great time exploring.

 

Sunday, March 15th —  Service and emailing

-I loved seeing familiar faces as I introduced Shanda and I to the congregation.  Our original contact preached at Danube International and we were able to talk to some involved with ministries after the service.  Without having to insinuate hunger, we were asked to come join a couple we met at coffee house to go to lunch and then out to coffee.  It ended up being a large group lunching together in a Chinese restaurant somewhere in downtown Budapest.  I absolutely love being able to share life over food, and that was only the beginning.  Shanda and I returned to the place we were staying for 3 nights and attacked the emailing for our large networking job for the trips that will follow ours.     

 

Monday, March 16th — Back to school

 -Tour of the local International Christian school was the plan out of interest and to reach out to potential contacts.  Jackpot.  It was a virtual California gold mine, but one that gave us email addresses instead of nuggets.  As enjoyable as it was, I was exhausted and decided to nap, for 5 hours.  It was beautfiul.

 

Tuesday, March 17 — Brinner a la Pride and Prejudice…deleightful!!!

 -First sleep-in day was fabulous.  Once conscious we were like Muhammad Ali, light on our toes in that inbox with a badda-bing badda-boom.  Float like a butterfly and something else real lyrical, I knew we were making progress with our work there.  We were lining up times to meet with interested contacts.  Plus, the best part was that we had brinner and a movie planned with our new friends.  Breakfast at dinner time = brinner.  It was french toast, homemade apple sauce, eggs, bacon, and fruit salad followed by Knightley’s version of Pride and Prej. Could you ask for much more than that?

Oh, Mr. Darcy.  Good conversation and good company were blessings in themselves that you cannot go searching for, somehow it just happens without asking.

 

Wednesday, March 18 —  Spontaneity

-I LOVE spontaneity.  Hand me a schedule and the hours on it appear more of suggestions to me.  There’s always enough ambiguity left in my mind for the day that I’m more than willing to switch things up last minute.  If anything, I welcome that most times.  We lunched with Mate at his work which was splendid.  Then we hear from Andreas who asks us if we’re interested to go to Calvary Chapel Bible School in Vajta to attend the conference and to get to know some of the people there.  Um, sure!  I’m in.  Without some impending priority that requires me to refrain, and if it strikes my fancy, then giddy up.  We got to worship, meet some incredible people and some MORE people interested in talking with us about teams coming!  Seriously, God?  You are amazing.

 

Thursday, March 19 —  Chugga chugga… chugga chugga… choo choo

-That morning we left early for the train.  A man who we met only the day before drove us, another man met only the day prior bought our tickets, and yet another woke up early against all his nocturnal tendencies to send us off.   We rushed off to the museum where Jane was giving her lesson.  I felt like I was trying to be the little train that could…chugga chugga…..zzzz

Lunch and then meeting with a contact and I had enough of the bustle.  Another nap was in order. 

 

Friday, March 20 — Caffe americano

-More great contact visits in Erd and then we went to YWAM’s coffee house again.   Afterwards, I was given a Hungarian gourmet lesson on how to make a special potato dish that I wish I remembered the name of.  A bunch of us feasted in the wee hours of the morning on it.

 

Saturday, March 21 — Vienna

-Vienna, Austria is a three hour train ride away from Budapest so we took it with Andras, Andreas and his mum who was in from Sweden.  And of course Shanda and myself.  Overpriced, nice architecture and clean streets but not the edge that you find in BP.  It was a good day but long. 

 

Sunday, March 22 —Calvary Chapel

-Did you know that British English pronounces oregano like we say origami?  Basil is said funny too.  We went to church at Calvary Chapel and then saw Andreas’ mum off to Sweden with a oregano-ed chicken dish, played some oldies and called it a day after doing some emailing and spreadsheet work.

 

Monday, March 23 — Goodbyes

-Dressing for salads might be one of the hardest things to find in Budapest.  We had a salad for the dinner to be prepared, but no dressing.  Regardless, lasagna night was wonderful.  Filled with burnt almonds, nutella mustaches, make-shift tables, good conversation, laughter and a few tears… We prayed together and had fellowship and had to say goodbye.  I’m horrible at goodbye.  In my mind I want to pretend that it won’t be long before I see them again.  But often, which has been often in my life, has not been the case.  I’m the one to leave and I don’t see them again.  In the moment I don’t express sadness but only how thankful I am to have had time together.  But then everyone leaves or I leave and tears still stave off my face until I realize what I no longer have.  Yeah, I left, but I have not forgotten what happened and how thank you doesn’t articulate enough my heart’s gratitude.

 

Tuesday, March 24 — I don’t want to

-It was our morning of mourning the day of our departure.  Yes, we packed but reluctantly.   Mate and his sister Eva took us to the train station and waited with us until the train arrived and saw us off.  What incredible people!  Shanda and I experienced how the church should function, how we should care for one another, how we should live among one another, sharing with one another, not just our words but ourselves – the good, the bad and the ugly – and even our material possessions.  I was cared for and I felt loved. 

 In turn I wanted to do the same for them and others.

 

Wednesday, March 25 — New beginnings

-We’re back in Romania and knowing what I know now, I can’t forget the kindness, mercies and hospitality.  I see now that I must also pass on the same to others.  Shock others into thinking, “Why don’t I see this anywhere else?”

Thanks to Mate, Andras, Andreas, Catherine, Austin, Jordan, Jane and Ronnie for being
solid witnesses of Christ in how you live.  You may never fully
understand what that meant to me.  Soon we’ll be continents apart instead of countries, but I will continue to remember how you treated us and I will continue to care deeply for each of you.